Like a leather baseball glove or a finely tuned mechanical instrument, some things improve with a little use. Coffee grinder burrs are no exception.

When we introduced the original HG-1 in 2012, we devoted considerable attention to breaking in the burrs. We even developed a rather elaborate procedure involving instant rice, countertop clamps, and a fair amount of physical effort. It worked for our original burr set, although we suspect some owners wondered whether they’d purchased a coffee grinder or a piece of exercise equipment.

Things have evolved.

The new HG-1 Prime features our own custom-cut 83mm conical burrs with a PVD-applied Titanium Nitride (TiN) coating. This exceptionally hard, wear-resistant surface is designed to maintain cutting performance and extend burr life.

Do Burrs Need Breaking In?

New burrs can undergo subtle changes during their initial period of use. As the cutting surfaces settle, you may notice small differences in grind consistency, grinding resistance, or the settings required to achieve your preferred extraction.

How much change occurs depends on the burr geometry, materials, surface treatment, and the coffee being ground. Some burr sets exhibit noticeable changes, while others require little or no break-in.

Our custom TiN-coated burrs are designed for long-term durability, but that doesn’t mean you need to put several kilograms of coffee through them before making your first espresso.

Your HG-1 Prime is ready to use straight out of the box.

Let Nature Take Its Course

Our recommendation is simple: use your grinder.

Start with your favorite coffee, dial in your preferred grind setting, and enjoy the process. As you become familiar with the grinder, pay attention to how it feels and how your espresso behaves.

You may find yourself making small adjustments over the first weeks of use. That’s perfectly normal, although changes in beans, roast age, and environmental conditions can also affect extraction.

There’s no need to rush the process.

Unlike our original HG-1, we no longer recommend accelerating burr seasoning by grinding instant rice. The procedure was developed around a different burr set, and we haven’t established that it offers any benefit for the new TiN-coated burrs.

A Little Patience

One of the pleasures of owning a mechanical grinder is developing a familiarity with how it operates.

Over time, you’ll recognize the resistance of different beans, develop a comfortable grinding rhythm, and learn how small adjustments influence the coffee in your cup.

Whether the burrs themselves change noticeably or not, your understanding of the grinder certainly will.

And that’s probably the most valuable part of breaking it in.